MIND MATTERS

Overcoming Common Mental Barriers In Music

I've been playing drums for about four months now, and I'm having serious problems concentrating on learning and practicing. I've been trying to count out loud, as all of my instruction books suggest, but when I do, I lose focus and start messing up. My hands don't follow my count, and I start playing the wrong thing altogether. Then I get mad and give up. Do you have any suggestions on how to strengthen my focus? I find that concentration problems show up in other areas of my life as well.

Bobby

First off, take a deep breath in. Hold it, and then exhale fully. Relax. You're trying way too hard with this whole thing, and it's making you uptightuptight in your mind and vow body. Try easy. Perform this simple little relaxation exercise before you begin each of your practice sessions.

Now let's continue with an important question. Is there anything else that's drawing your attention in a powerful way when you sit down at your drums? Something that's a consistent theme or problem? A girlfriend? A boyfriend? A conflict with another student, a coworker, or a family member? If that's the case, you'll probably need to deal with that first. Find some resolution before you can clear your mind for a good session with your drums.

Motivation is a huge factor in any learning process. What attracted you to the drums in the first place? Their look? Their sound? Now for the hard question: Does the reality of playing drums come close to the fantasy that you originally had in your mind? I used to think/fantasize about playing guitar. Once I bought a guitar and started to learn to play, I quickly lost motivation. The reality of actually playing did not match the fantasy I'd held before I bought the instrument. I hated fretting the strings and contorting my fingers to make a sound. I later admitted to myself that I was in love with the shape and color of my guitar. If I hadn't sold it, it probably would have wound up on the wall, not unlike a poster or a painting. Something nice to look at, but that's about all.

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Putting aside the concentration issue for a moment, do you feel motivated-even though you're struggling right now-to play your drums? If the answer is yes, keep at it! If the answer is no, you might want to experiment with another instrument. If you think you'd like to stay in the percussion family, try a hand drum like a djembe or a conga.

Words are very powerful and carry connotations that can influence our moods and actions. Let's look at the word practice. When you were very young, you practiced how to eat with a fork and a spoon. Later, you practiced multiplication and division. And you practiced how to throw a football or baseball. But over time the word practice can start to become associated with drudgery and work. You begin to see it as a chore rather than as an opportunity to better your skills or just have some fun. So, begin thinking of your time with drumming as playing your drums, rather than going in to practice them. Tell yourself, and whoever else is in the room (friends, family, etc), that you're going in to play on your practice pad, snare drum, or full kit.

You mention instructional books, and I just mentioned a practice pad. Learning how to read drum music and having the convenience of playing with sticks on a pad are both important, but make sure you're spending time with real drums and just cutting loose on the kit. If you don't have a drumset and cymbals yet, see about renting some gear or buying a used entry-level kit through your local music store or Craigslist. Alternate your time with the instructional books with playing along to your favorite CDs or MP3s. Allow yourself to enjoy the feel of the smooth sticks in your hands, the sound of the drums and cymbals, the sensation of your foot coming down on the pedal, the beater striking the kick drum head.... Have fun with your drums.

You can build concentration skills in many ways. Buy jigsaw puzzles, and work with them only up until they stop being fun and challenging. When you start to feel frustrated, walk away and come back to them later. Or try crosswords or sudokus. Watch episodes of game shows, and answer the questions. Again, perform these activities only until you start to feel frustrated and it stops being fun. Walk away and do something different, but make sure to return to the activity later.

Acquiring any new skill takes time and is a challenge. You mention you've been playing for only four months. Cut yourself some slack! The pros you see live in concert make it look easy, but they've put in thousands of hours behind the kit.

You also mention that you get mad and give up. Anger is an emotion that in this case isn't helping you build a drumming skill set. When you start to feel anger or frustration rising within you, stop what you're doing and try something different. If you're already

at your drums, play free-form for a while until the anger passes.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention one last possibility for your problem. I'm sure you've heard of ADD-attention deficit disorder. You say this concentration issue shows up in other parts of your life. If all of my suggestions fail you, it might be worth your time to be evaluated by a qualified health provider-a physician, a psychologist, a social worker-who specializes in ADD. If you're diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, a physician will most likely prescribe a medication that will help you focus.

If your motivation is true and you've cleared out any powerful problems or distractions that are pulling your attention away from your drums, and if you've ruled out ADD. I say stick with it, try easy, and play, and your skills will come.

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Author affiliation:

Bernie Schallehn has been a drummer and percussionist for over forty-five years. He holds a master's degree in counseling psychology and, while in private practice, held the credentials of a certified clinical mental health counselor and a certified alcohol and substance abuse counselor.